Tag: Annandale Real Estate

Welcome home to this lovely cottage in the sought after Englandboro neighborhood just outside of DC on a .9 acre lot! This exquisite property is truly one of a kind featuring 4 bedrooms /3.5 baths & full guest house featuring living room, kitchen, 1 bedroom/ 1 bath! Exceptional details include shining hardwood floors, granite countertops, updated kitchen, recessed lighting, immaculate screened in porch, large deck, and so much more! The outdoor space & floor plan are an entertainers dream come true. The large deck & gorgeous landscaping are ready for you to host your house warming!

Our competition included not just other Realtors (of which there are more than 1.2 Million in the U.S.), but also entire brokerages (like Keller Williams Realty), listing portals (like Zillow) and news organizations (like Inman News). We are one of only 2 Realtors or teams in the entire state of Virginia to make the list. (The other was in Charlottesville). We are thrilled because that means the Sellers we represent have market exposure like no other Realtor can provide in Northern VA. And our buyers get the local “boots on the ground” info they need.

Real estate is local. It’s actually hyperlocal. What you read about in the paper, hear about on the news, see posted on Facebook, skim on Twitter or see delivered to your email – is NOT necessarily what’s happening in YOUR neighborhood. Even right here in Northern VA, what’s happening in Arlington may not match Alexandria. Great Falls and Falls Church may be on opposite ends of the spectrum. And even in the same town, things can be different. For example, the Vienna market is currently seeing both a buyer’s market and a seller’s market depending on price range.

THAT is why we started blogging TWENTY years ago. If you are thinking of buying or selling in Northern Virginia, THIS is where you want to be to find out local statistics and strategies for how to win in TODAY’S Northern VA real estate market. In addition to posting new listings, coming soon and TONS of local market stats, we also share real estate related strategies and info that benefit our clients.

If you live in Fairfax County, then you recently received your real estate tax assessment.

For many of you (45% to be exact), the assessment went up. And gosh darn it (that’s as strong as we can say it here on the blog!) – that will likely mean higher taxes this year. (The Board of Supervisors has not set the 2017 tax rate yet, but if the past predicts the future, what you pay will increase either because of an increased tax rate or because your assessment increased.)

The good news is (in terms of taxes, not values) – assessments are up on average only 0.68%. (That’s less than one percent.)

The bad news is, assessments did not rise as much as the previous year in part because values did not rise as much. While 2015 saw a 3.23% increase in median sold price in Fairfax County, 2016 was flat (0.03%)

Here’s the breakdown of average home property assessments (averages are not necessarily indicative of individual properties or neighborhoods):

Countywide average for all homes – $533,168

Single family-detached homes – $639,468, up 1.10 percent

Townhouse/duplex properties – $398,166, up 1.37 percent

Condominiums – $260,617, down 0.32 percent

Now. Truth be told – the assessments in Fairfax County are oftentimes LOWER than actual “market value” (meaning what a “willing Seller” and “willing Buyer” agree a property is worth by ratifying a contract to sell/buy that property.)

If you are thinking of buying a home in Fairfax County, don’t be deceived into thinking you will be able to buy a home for about what the County has assessed as the value of the property. We are often asked how a Seller could justify an asking price above the Fairfax County tax assessment. Well – here’s an example of why.

We track the tax assessment versus actual sales price on all homes that we sell. (Note: Our statistical pool may not be quite scientific, but since we have sold more homes in Fairfax County than almost any Realtor in the area – we think the results are at least representative.) Here’s what we found over the past years:

Approximately 95% of the homes actually sold for more than the assessed value.

Many homes show inaccurate info in the tax records – for example, finished basements are not shown, number of bedrooms may be incorrect, square footage may be off. And all of these things may cause a lower assessed value.

So, while there is often a correlation between assessed value and market value, the market value is almost always higher.

Assessed value is just ONE factor to look at when buying or selling. A better place to start is with a FREE INSTANT online estimate. Then schedule an appointment with your Realtor for a custom estimate.

If you think your assessment is wrong, Fairfax County does have an appeal process. You can file an online appeal prior to April 3rd. More info here.

Also note that Seniors and People with Disabilities may be eligible for the county’s tax relief program. More info here.

If you have questions about your assessed value, the market value of your home or are thinking of buying or selling a home, give The Belt Team a call (703) 242-3975. We are happy to help you make the right move!

The article below came out last week from Keeping Current Matters. We thought it was right on target. It surprises us how often people trust the sale of their largest asset to someone who may not be an expert – just because they are a family member, a neighbor or a friend. They list their home with this person out of obligation. And then they take a BIG leap.

While they may be able to trust them in terms of their personal relationship, they often cannot really trust this person’s expertise, negotiating skills & problem solving abilities. When you’re selling your home, you need it all. Personal trust (integrity, To be able to trust they will have your best interests at heart) AND to trust they have the ability to do the job at a high level.

Here’s what Keeping Current Matters had to say:

You and your family have decided to sell your house. It is now time to choose a real estate professional to help with the process. One of the major attributes this agent must possess is trustworthiness. To what degree do you need to trust them?

You must have enough trust in them that you feel comfortable they will accomplish all four things below:

1. Sell possibly the largest asset your family owns

In many cases, a home is the largest asset a family has. Studies have shown that the equity many families have in their home is the largest percentage of that family’s overall wealth.

2. Set the correct market value on that asset

Pricing is crucial even in the best of markets. You want to get the best price for your home without putting your house at a value that buyers will have little interest in.

3. Set the time schedule for the liquidation of that asset

Your family probably has a certain timetable for the sale of your house and the move into your next home. Coordinating the home selling process to meet certain schedules can be tricky.

4. Set a fair fee for the services required to liquidate that asset

You will need to pay a commission to an agent for selling the home and coordinating all elements of the selling transaction, including possible future negotiations (ex. with a home inspector or appraiser).

That’s a lot of trust. Make sure you pick a true professional to help with the sale of your home.

So how do you know if you can trust the sale of your home to someone?

1. Interview them.

Ask questions. Ask for statistics – things like: how many homes they’ve sold (that will tell you whether they have good problem solving skills, relationships & resources for you to use), what their list to sell price ratio is compared to the average (that will tell you about their negotiation skills), and what their average days on market is (that will tell you about their expertise). Spend more time asking questions like these than asking where they advertise and what kind of videos they do. And don’t choose the realtor who just throws out the highest number. The results they get are what you’re after. If they are experts, you won’t need to tell them how to do what they do best.

2. Ask for references.

Call people who have sold their home with the team you’re interviewing and find out first hand what it’s like to work with them.

3. Google them.

You’ll be surprised what you see (or don’t see).Pay special attention to third party sites like Zillow. Realtors cannot control what is posted there (unlike the testimonials you see on their personal web sites.) And when you read the reviews, read between the lines. Are they generic (“she’s great”) or are they specific (she sold our home in 9 days over list price and has the patience of Job”)?

Whether you’re selling in Vienna or McLean, Great Falls or Falls Church, Oakton or Oak Hill, Arlington, Ashburn or Annadale – wherever you live – you deserve the BEST real estate team. For a FREE report of “Questions To Ask Your Realtor When Selling Your Home” – email The Belt Team or call (703) 242-3975. We are listed in the Top 20 Best Real Estate Agents in Virginia and are happy to help you make the RIGHT move.

Every four years, as things start to heat up on the Campaign Trail, we get inquiries from our clients about what the election will mean for the market. It used the be the case here in Northern VA, that we would see a period of pausing, followed by a potential great transition and turnover of homes if a new party was elected to office.

Now that our economy in Northern VA is not solely reliant on the federal government, that is no longer the case. While we still have many government employees, government contractors and elected officials living here – we also have many large companies (for example tech firms), as well as many entrepreneurs and small business owners, many in the service industries.

“If you’re thinking of buying or selling, give us a call, ” said Terry Belt, CEO of The Belt Team. We’ve been through every election cycle in Northern VA since 1972. In fact, a Presidential Election is part of what brought our family here from California. We’d be happy to share our expertise with you. Each Buyer and Seller faces a unique situation. And the conclusion about timing is not always black and white. Call us at (703) 242-3975.”

In the meantime, if you have been wondering about the market, you’ll want to read what our friends at Keeping Current Matters have to say. They gathered input and predictions from a variety of sources.

Every four years people question what effect the Presidential election might have on the national housing market. Let’s take a look at what is currently taking place. The New York Times ran an article earlier this week where they explained:

“A growing body of research shows that during presidential election years — particularly ones like this when there is such uncertainty about the nation’s future — industry becomes almost paralyzed. A look at the last several dozen election cycles shows that during the final year of a presidential term, big corporate investments are routinely postponed, and big deals are put on the back burner.

The research is even more persuasive on the final year of an eight-year presidential term, when a new candidate inevitably will become president.”

We are seeing this take form in the latest economic numbers. However, will this lead to a slowdown in the housing market? Not according to Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac or the National Association of Realtors.

The Impact on Housing Throughout 2016 : Let’s look at what has happened and what is projected to happen by these three major entities.

National Association of Realtors“In spite of deficient supply levels, stock market volatility and the paltry economic growth seen so far this year, the housing market did show resilience and had its best first quarter of existing-sales since 2007.”

Freddie Mac“Recent data darkened the growth outlook for the first quarter of 2016. However, despite the disappointing economic reports, we still forecast housing to maintain its momentum in 2016.”

Fannie Mae“Consumers and businesses showed caution at the end of the first quarter…(but) Home sales are expected to pick up heading into the spring season amid the backdrop of declining mortgage rates, rising pending home sales and purchase mortgage applications, and continued easing of lending standards on residential mortgage loans.”

Bottom Line
Even during this election year, the desire to achieve the American Dream is greater than the fear of uncertainty of the next presidency.

Last week, the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors approved the Fiscal Year 2017 (Tax Year 2016) budget to include an increase of FOUR CENTS in the real estate property tax rate. This becomes effective July 1, 2016.

The last time the tax rate increased was in 2014 – from $1.085 per $100 of assessed value, to $1.09. That makes this year’s increase 8 times the last increase.

So, if your home was valued at $800,000 last year, then you paid $8,720 in property tax. If your assessed value stayed the same this year, your new tax would be $9,040. (A small $320 increase. However, 55% of homes in Fairfax County were also assessed at higher values this year than last year. So the increase is larger than it looks.)

Check out our blog and you’ll find year-end statistics for both the larger macromarket of the Mid-Atlantic region, as well as the counties of Fairfax, Loudoun & Arlington. Along with that, you’ll find stats for the various cities and towns in Northern VA. It used to be that looking at statistics city by city was often enough to arm you with most of the information you might need to understand the market – whether on the buy side or sell side. But that is no longer the case. (So when you hear the national news headlines about real estate – don’t listen! It’s like listening to the weather forecast in Phoenix when you’re trying to figure out what to wear in McLean.)

Within each county and city, there is a whole other story being told – market by market by market. Let’s take Loudoun County for example. Average days on market in Loudoun was 44 days. The average home sold for 97.5% of original list price. If you’re a buyer, you might draw the conclusion that you can “get a deal” or at least that you can negotiate some off the list price. On some homes, that might be the case. (In fact, that was the case for Buyers represented by The Belt Team. Our buyers only paid on average 93.8% of list price.) But that would not be representative of the entire market.

If you look at the statistics further, you’ll find that last year, 37% of homes in Loudoun sold in 10 days or less. Buyers of those homes often competed and came prepared to pay over list price. In fact, the average paid was just over 100% of list price. This micromarket was seen primarily in the $400’s and below. Homes that were listed over $900K saw a different market. Average days on market was 121 days (4 months!). And homes sold for 92.9% of list price.

The moral of the story of 2014 (and going forward in 2015) is that you MUST get the detailed, hyperlocal info you need to make decisions on the very specific micromarket where you’re looking to buy or sell. It’s a vital part of setting your strategy for success – whether you’re buying or selling. The average agent (and even you) have access to some of this data through normal channels – either online, through the MLS, public tax records, etc. But if you really want to get the most when selling your home (or prevail as a buyer in a market where inventory is low – which it is all over Northern VA) – it’s imperative that you work with Realtors (like The Belt Team) who not only have the free info online and in the MLS, but who pay premium dollars for the most detailed and up-to-date data available. We are your local enconomists. And this data gives our clients a leg up.

So. 2015. Here’s what we see:

Interest rates rising

Prices rising slightly. (Note that last year’s prices rose, but not like they did in 2013. For example – in 2013, Fairfax County rose about 7%. In 2014, Fairfax County prices rose less than 2%.)

Low inventory.

Competing contracts in the lower price ranges.

And the early bird will get the worm – both on the buyer side and the seller side.

If you would like an in-depth analysis of YOUR micromarket, call Terry Belt & The Belt Team at (703) 242-3975 to schedule a FREE consultation.